Stainless Steel Phil

You may remember that my desire for ice in ouzo and G&T led to expensive new batteries, electrical work in Lefkas and a recognition that we need more power, in the form of solar panels. If you missed all this, or want a reminder, it’s here

Where and how do we fit extra panels? The existing gantry could probably be adapted to take more panels. (The gantry is a stainless steel arch mounted on the back of the boat.) But there are some other things we might be able to solve or improve at the same time, including the aesthetics.

1. 1. 1. The outboard is 4HP and weighs 22kg – one person can lift it, but it’s a long way up from the dinghy to the top of the pushpit where it lives when not mounted on the dinghy. It’s not something we would want to drop either! The current outboard hoist is not ideal – it takes quite a bit of setting up, needs supporting with a line tied back to the mainsheet track, and isn’t quite high enough. This means you still have to lift the outboard up for the first/last bit.  We can rig it up faster than we used to, but it’s a bit of a pain.
      2. We have a fantastic dinghy (known as Petal) but she weighs in at 41kg and, even using a halyard at the mast, it’s quite a job manhandling her onto and off the foredeck at the start and end of a passage or when mooring stern-to. Towing isn’t great for the dinghy or boat speed. This, combined with the outboard hoist, means that stowing or launching Petal takes more time and effort than we can sometimes muster. So we stay onboard rather than dinghy ashore or we delay going somewhere because by the time we’ve stowed her dinghy we need a rest! We already want things set up so they’re easy and streamlined, this is only going to to get more important as we age.
      3. The passerelle works fine, but again, takes quite a while to set up and take down. It needs 2 people; it’s fixed, not folding, so it stands on the aft deck 2m tall when not in use. We watch other boats arrive on a quay or pontoon and one person lowers the passerelle in less than a minute. We could rearrange this now, but it seems to fit in with our new plans . . .
      4. There are already a lot of things stored on the pushpit at the back of the boat. But there are more things we’d like to store there! For example, the liferaft. While waiting for it to arrive we discovered just what a useful space it takes up on the upper aft deck – this is the best, most level space for the Cobb cooker; it’s where we instinctively put drinks and nibbles when we sit out to enjoy the cooler air after a shower and before dinner. If the liferaft were mounted on the back of the pushpit, we’d have this space back . .

We became more and more certain that a new or modified gantry would solve all of these, as well as taking 2 large solar panels of about 300W each. We hope to spend at least 10 years summer cruising with LouLouDitsi and addressing the 5 points above will make a big difference to our enjoyment of life onboard.

We’ve been studying gantries since mid May, lingering on quays and pontoons looking at other boats’ arrangements, using the bino’s when we’re anchored. And we’ve talked to people about what works, what doesn’t, how they’d design their gantry differently in hindsight. We’ve seen and photographed the gantries on 2 of our sister boats Jade and Green Selene.

And everyone we mention gantry work to responds the same way, “Ah,” they all say, “You need Stainless Steel Phil.”  Phil Thomas has been working out of Nidri for many years, designing, making and fitting anything stainless steel for boats (and cafes, bars, tavernas, anyone and everyone.) Phil has a reputation for designs that work and are aesthetically pleasing.

In late May we were very impressed with the gantry we saw Phil fit onto yacht Stella, (we enjoyed some great evenings with Dean & Jan – thank you both for introducing us to the best chicken jalfrezi at La Familia in Nidri!)

So, way back on 5th June we walked up to Phil at Steel Marine in Nidri and arranged for him to come and look at LouLouDitsi the next day. He talked us through some options and left us to think about the extent of the changes we wanted to make.

We decided that same day that we’d go for a new gantry, replacing the existing pushpit, so we can hoist Petal and carry her low on the stern underway or high up on a quay, with room to use the passerelle under her. We’ll also be able to use it to hoist the outboard. The liferaft cradle will fix to the outside of the pushpit, freeing up deck space. There will be room at the sides for horseshoes, danbuoy and other safety equipment. And for some holders for mooring lines and a new flagstaff fitting for the ensign. All singing, all dancing.

Phil needs to know the dimensions of the solar panels, so John has continued his research. We’ve been refining our list of what we want it to do. I’ve been researching passerelles. And this is why we’re still in the Inland Sea around Nidri, rather than further north towards Corfu as planned. This will make such a difference to our cruising that it seemed worth taking the time this year to plan it out, rather than have it drag on into next season.

As you know, there have been distractions along the way – fresh water and then sea water leaks, storms, wind, battery charging issues, toilet repairs, etc etc. And shopping, cooking, laundry, cleaning – all the day to day living routines. So it’s taken a while. And then Phil went back to the UK for a week or two. We’re hoping he’ll be back up and running again next week and can take the measurements. He thought he could then get it made ready for our return at the end of August.

If he’s not back next week, everything will be delayed as we need to head up to Corfu where LouLouDitsi is booked into Gouvia marina for 4 weeks while we go back to the UK . . .